A video shows Walker claiming a police officer followed him
Sam Walker during a video he posted as he appeared to be placed in a police vehicle in Vietnam
Sam Walker has reportedly been detained in Vietnam. The criminal-turned-content creator posted several videos of himself in the Southeast Asian country in the days leading up to his reported detention as well as recording live streams.
The ECHO understands the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is aware of the alleged detention of Walker in the country. A family friend also told the ECHO how he was detained on Saturday, April 4. The FCDO is also believed to be in touch with local authorities following Walker’s reported detention.
It is currently unclear why Walker, who has dozens of convictions for over 130 offences, is said to have been detained in the country.
A video has since been published on Sam Walker’s TikTok account that allegedly shows him being detained by Vietnamese police officers in the capital city of Hanoi.
The video shows Walker claiming to be followed by a police officer before it cuts to him being approached and placed in the back of a police vehicle.
Walker previously appeared in Liverpool Crown Court in January this year, where a charge of sending a communication threatening serious harm was dropped.
It was also heard that he had been “stabbed and shot”, resulting in him missing a previous court appearance, with him claiming to have been in A&E as a result of his injuries.
In 2024, it was claimed Walker was arrested in Sierra Leone after reportedly travelling to the West African country in March of that year, claiming to have absconded from the UK after being bailed following another arrest.
His elaborate-sounding journey to Africa allegedly included chartering a private plane and using a speed boat to cross the Mediterranean to avoid border checks after having his passport seized.
Walker claims to have gone to Sierra Leone to help children living in poverty. In a 2024 post on his TikTok and Instagram accounts, he said: “I’m going to the slums to get these kids their operations so they can see their families again.”
But his friend Samuel contacted the ECHO to alert the public to Walker’s alleged arrest. Samuel said: “He’s out in Sierra Leone and was doing a peaceful protest in the street.
“Then the police arrested him and put him in jail. That was four days ago. I’m really worried about him.”
In a video shared at the time, Walker can be heard saying: “I will happily do prison. I don’t give a s**t. You can put me in the most violent, filthy, unpredictable jail in the continent of Africa, and I promise you I will come out with my head held high.”
The FCDO said at the time: “We supported a British man in Sierra Leone and were in contact with the local authorities.”